Textile drafting apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A method of and apparatus for guiding a group of slivers through a drafting unit while progressively reducing the width of the group in its course through successive drafting zones of the unit to ensure that the fibers along the longitudinal side edges of adjacent slivers are intermingled throughout the width of the web to obviate the formation of feather-edge selvages on the individual slivers and to ensure homogeneity and substantial uniformity of the fibers throughout the width of the web being drafted. Also, evener roll means is provided for varying the rate of feed of the respective slivers entering the unit in accordance with, and to compensate for, variations in density of the slivers.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Joe R. Whitehurst Bessemer City, N.C. [21] Appl. No. 769,015 [22] Filed Oct. 21,1968 [45] Patented Sept. 14, 1971 [73] Assignee The Warner 8: Swasey Company Cleveland, Ohio [54] TEXTILE DRAFTING APPARATUS AND METHOD 8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 19/282, 19/238 [51] Int. Cl D0lh 5/50 [50] Field of Search 19/238, 258, 282

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,738,554 3/1956 Whitehurst u g I 19 /238 2,738,555 3/1956 Whitehurst Primary Examiner-Dorsey Newton Attorney-Patron, Bell, Seltzer, Park and Gibson ABSTRACT: A method of and apparatus for guiding a group of slivers through a drafting unit while progressively reducing the width of the group in its course through successive drafting zones of the unit to ensure that the fibers along the longitudinal side edges of adjacent slivers are intermingled throughout the width of the web to obviate the formation of feather-edge selvages on the individual slivers and to ensure homogeneity and substantial uniformity of the fibers throughout the width of the web being drafted. Also, evener roll means is provided for varying the rate of feed of the respective slivers entering the unit in accordance with, and to compensate for, variations in density of the slivers.

PATENTEU SEN 4 am SHEEI Q 0F 5 INVENTOR Joe- RWQwE-Hurasr M, Mia 1%, a -4mm ATTORNEYS PATENTEU SEP 1 4 l9?! SHEEI 5 OF 5 mvmron: Joe- E. WHITE-HURST ATTORNEYS TEXTILE DRAFTING APPARATUS AND METHOD This invention relates to an improved method and apparatus for controlling textile fiber material during the drafting thereof.

Textile fibers are usually fed into a drafting unit in the form of a plurality of slivers. Generally, from six to 12 such slivers are used. Since the slivers are drawn from individual cans, they must be maintained in spaced relationship throughout their travel from the cans to the drafting unit. Consequently, as the slivers enter and travel through the drafting unit, they tend to remain separated until they are brought together in their course from the drafting unit to the coiler. Even though the slivers are attenuated and flattened by the drafting rolls; which aids in bringing the edges of adjacent slivers gradually into contacting relationship, the fact that the slivers are in separated condition, especially as they enter the first or back drafting zone, produces so-called selvages on opposite longitudinal side edges of the slivers; i.e., each side edge of each silver becomes somewhat tapered to a thin feather edge which causes fibers thereat to be case from the body of the silver as residual fibers or fly which is, of course, deleterious to the web being formed and results in increased housekeeping problems. Such selvages produce noticeable striations in the web, contribute to nonuniformity thereof and frequently cause fracture of the slivers with consequent lap ups of the slivers about the drafting rolls.

The nonuniformity of the web issuing from a drafting unit also is a reflection of the inherent nonuniformity of individual slivers; especially card slivers, being fed into the drafting unit. It is therefore desirable to improve the uniformity of the slivers as much as possible before they are completely drafted and formed into a web. This has been effected heretofore by the use of an evener motion including fluted idler evener rolls; one for each sliver, meshing with a driven common feed roll adjacent and in the back of the rearmost drafting roll of the drafting unit. However, evener motions of such type also introduce the slivers into the drafting unit in spaced relationship.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for controlling a group of textile slivers during the drafting thereof in which the slivers in the group are convergingly supported in at least the first drafting zone of the drafting unit so as to gather the slivers together and thereby reduce the width of the group of slivers to ensure intermingling of the fibers at the proximal side edges thereof.

Another object is to provide a method and apparatus as described and wherein slivers adjacent the outer edges of the group are fed into the first drafting zone at a faster rate than those in the central portion of the group so as tocompensate for the greater distance the outer slivers must travel as compared to the distance the more centrally located slivers travel during convergence of the group of slivers in the first drafting zone.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for controlling textile material being drafted through a plurality of successive drafting zones wherein a group of side-by-side slivers is directed into a first drafting zone and convergingly guided therethrough to reduce the width of the group of slivers and, thereafter, the group is directed into a second drafting zone and again convergingly guided therethrough to reduce the width of the group of slivers.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a drawing frame equipped with the evener motion of the instant invention for feeding slivers into the first or rear drafting zone of the drafting unit and also showing sliver gathering means in each of the drafting zones of the drafting unit which are effective to convergingly guide the fibrous mass through the drafting unit;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 in FIG. 1 longitudinally of the path of travel of the textile material and transversely of the draftiiig rolls;

FIG. 3 is a somewhat schematic perspective view looking generally in the direction of the arrow 3 of FIG. 2 and particularly illustrating how the textile material is gradually reduced in width in its course from the evener motion through the drafting unit;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view, mostly in elevation, taken looking rearwardly substantially along line 44 in FIG. 2, and showing the slivers extending through the evener motion;

FIG. 5 is an elevation, partially in section, taken substantially along line 5-5 in FIG. 2 and showing one of the fiber control bars for convergingly guiding and supporting the textile material in its course through the corresponding drafting zone;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the evener devices showing various parts thereof in exploded relationship;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the evener device of FIG. 6; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are fragmentary vertical sectional views taken substantially along the respective lines 88 and 9-9 of FIG. 4 and illustrating a difference in the extent of intermeshing between the respective evener rolls and the bottom sliver feed roll effected by the relatively higher pressure being applied to the top evener roll of FIG. 9 as compared to that being applied to the evener roll of FIG. 8 to impart a greater rate of feed of the sliver of FIG. 9 than that being imparted to the sliver of FIG. 8 to compensate for the greater distance that the sliver of FIGf9 must travel as compared to the distance traveled by the sliver of FIG. 8 in their course through the first drafting zone.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numerals 11-14 (FIGS. 2 and 3) indicate bottom rolls of the drafting unit and the numerals 12a, 13a, 14a indicate top drafting rolls above the respective drafting rolls 12, 13, 14. Opposite ends of the bottom rolls 11-14 are journaled in respective pairs of bearings 15 and opposite ends of top rolls 12a, 13a, 14a (FIGS. l-3) are journaled in respective bearings 15a. Bearings 15, 15a are mounted in the usual substantially U-shaped bearing blocks 16 mounted on elongate roll stands 17.

Roll stands 17 are suitably secured to the main beam or transversed frame member 20 (FIG. 2) of the drawing frame. The upper substantially horizontal portion of each roll stand 17 has a longitudinally extending slot 21 therethrough through which screws 22 extend for adjustably securing the respective bearing blocks 16 to the corresponding roll stands 17. An electrically operable drive means, shown in the form of an electric motor 23 (FIGS. 1 and 4) drives the bottom rolls 11-14 through transmission means including gear trains 24-27 which are arranged so that the front bottom drafting roll or delivery roll 14 of the drafting unit, driven by motor 23, transmits rotation to bottom drafting roll 12 through gear train 25 while transmitting rotation to bottom roll 13 through gear train 26. Gear train 27 transmits rotation from bottom drafting roll l2to feed roll 11. As is usual, gear trains 25, 26, 27 are arranged so that feed roll 11 rotates at a given speed and drafting rolls 12-14 rotate at progressively increasing speeds to impart draft to the textile material in its course through the drafting unit. Suitable yieldable pressure means 30 (FIG. 2) are provided for applying downward pressure to the bearings 15a at opposite ends of the top drafting rolls 12a-l4a. All the drafting rolls 12-14, 12a-14a are preferably, of the fluted intermeshing type, although rolls 13a, 14a may be smooth-faced rolls, if desired.

Bottom feed roll 11 constitutes the common driven evener roll of a plurality of evener devices, each broadly designated at 32 and including a fluted top evener roll 34. Evener devices 32 receive respective lengths of textile material, in the form of slivers, from separate sources of supply such as coiler cans, now shown, and feeds them into the first or back drafting zone of the drafting unit defined between the hips of evener rolls 11, 34 and drafting rolls 12, 12a. In this regard, a second drafting zone is defined between the nips of the two sets of rolls 12, 12a and 13, 13a, and a third drafting zone is defined between the nips of rolls 13, 13a and 14, 14a.

A group of eight side-by-side textile slivers 1-8 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 being directed into the drafting unit, which drafts and forms a textile web from the slivers, and which is then condensed into a composite sliver S (FIG. 3) and coiled into a can, not shown, through a coiler mechanism 36, as is usual. Preferably, but not necessarily, the condensing of the web into a composite sliver is accomplished by meansof a condenser plate 40 disposed closely adjacent and in front of delivery rolls 14, 14a and having an elongate sliver guide tube 41 communicating with a condensing orifice in plate 40. Tube 41 directs the sliver from condenser plate 40 into a coiler trumpet 42. Condenser plate 40 and sliver guide tube 41 may be of the type disclosed in my US. Pat. No. 3,401,429, issued Sept. 17, 1968,for example.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the evener roll 34 of each evener device 32 is fluted about its periphery, with the spacing and depth of the flutes thereon corresponding to the spacing and depth of the flutes on the common bottom feed roll 11. Each evener feed roll 34 is preferably in the form of an externally fluted tubular shell which is fixed, as by a pressed fit, on the outer race on an antifriction bearing 45 (FIGS. 6, 8 and 9) whose inner race is fixed on a shaft 46 mounted in spaced cars 47 of a bracket 50. Each bracket 50 extends rearwardly and has its rear portion pivotally mounted on a pivot shaft 50a carried by a pivot block 51. A pair of sliver guide posts 50b, of generally elliptical or teardrop shape, are each eccentrically adjustably secured to bracket 50 rearwardly of roll 34, by screws 506, for guiding sliver thereto.

Pivot blocks 51 are arranged in side-by-side relation in a row and are suitably secured to a support bar or plate 52 which extends throughout the width of the drafting unit and whose opposite ends overlie and are ad justably secured upon the roll stands 17, as by means of screws 53 (FIG. I) which loosely penetrate slots 21, to facilitate forward and rearward adjustment of the evener devices 32 relative to feed roll 1 1.

Plate 52 underlies all the brackets 50 (FIGS. 2 and 4), and a row of pivot blocks 55 is secured, as by screws 56, (FIG. 6) to the lower surface of a forward portion of plate 52. Each pivot block 55 carries a pivot pin 55a on which the forward portion of a weight lever 57 is pivotally mounted. Each weight lever 57 has a hole 60 therethrough through which the lower portion of a hanger element 61 loosely extends. Each hanger element 61 loosely penetrates plate 52 and has its hooked upper portion connected to a depending portion 62 of bracket 50, which depending portion 62 is located closely adjacent bottom feed roll 11.

The threaded lower end of each hanger element has a washer 63 loosely mounted thereon whose lower surface is engaged by a nut 64, the washer 63 being larger than the hole 60 in each weight lever 57 so that the weight of the weight lever 57 imparts a downward force to the respective bracket 50 and, thus, to the respective evener roll 34. Each weight lever 57 has a rearwardly projecting threaded portion 66 thereon which the internally threaded forward end of an elongate weight bar 67 is threadedly secured. All the weight bars 67 may be of the same diameter and, in order to apply greater yieldable pressure to the evener rolls 34 adjacent the outer portions of the corresponding group of slivers than that being applied to the medial slivers (3-6) in the group, it will be observed in FIG. 2 that weight bars 67 are of varying lengths. The reason why weight bars 67 of varying lengths are used, so as to apply a different amount of yieldable downward pressure to one or more of the evener rolls than the downward pressure being applied to other evener rolls, will be later described.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the slivers 1-8 are normally spaced from each other as they traveled from the usual creel to the drafting unit. Also, since the peripheral surface of each evener roll must have an axial length greater than the width of the respective sliver, the slivers must be spaced from each other to properly align them with the respective evener rolls 34, although it is contemplated that the evener rolls may be arranged in staggered relationship along the bottom feed roll 11 or otherwise may be positioned closer together than they are shown in the present embodiment of the invention. In any event, it has been found that the quality of the textile material is improved substantially by gathering together the slivers and gradually and progressively reducing the width of the group of slivers in its course through the drafting unit. Otherwise, those slivers whose longitudinal side edges may not be positioned in contacting engagement with adjacent slivers during drafting, develop thin, weak selvages from which fibers are cast, thus having a deleterious affect on the strength and uniformity of the slivers, the web and the composite sliver S being informed therefrom. This becomes more critical at high speeds.

Accordingly, a first fiber control means or bar 70 (FIGS. l-3 and 5) is provided in the first drafting zone defined between evener rolls 11, 34 and drafting rolls 12, 12a. Bar 70 is constructed, in a manner to be described, so that it applies an inward force to the outer slivers as they pass through the first drafting zone so as to guidingly divert the outer slivers l, 2, 7, 8 through a greater length path of travel in the first drafting zone than the path of travel of those slivers 3-6 in the medial portion of the group of slivers. At the same time, the increased pressure being applied to the respective outer evener rolls 34 causes them to feed the diverted outer slivers at a greater rate or lineal speed than the more centrally positioned slivers to avoid destructively overdrafting the outer slivers. The bar 70 applies the force in such a manner as to converge the outer slivers to avoid destructively overdrafting the outer slivers. The bar 70 applies the force in such a manner as to converge the outer slivers toward the inner or medial slivers to that the proximal longitudinal side edges of at least some adjacent slivers in the group are brought into contacting engagement before they reach the nip of the succeeding drafting rolls 12, 12a. Bar 70 also serves to divert all the slivers in the group out of the plane of an imaginary straight line through the nips of rolls 12, 12a and evener rolls ll, 34 to improve control of the fibers and also to increase the effective length of the first drafting zone.

In other words, the evener motion and the fiber control bar 70 cooperate in that the evener rolls 34 sense variations in the density or thickness of each sliver l-8 being directed into the first drafting zone, and the evener rolls 11, 34 independently feed each sliver into the first drafting zone at varying rates in accordance with the sensed variations. Also, the distal slivers (l, 2, 7, 8) in the group are always fed at a faster rate than the other slivers (3-6) in the group. At the same time, the bar 70 serves to convergingly guide the slivers in the first drafting zone during drafting thereof to reduce the width of the group. Thereafter, the drafted slivers are directed into and through the second and third drafting zones.

In its preferred embodiment, first fiber control bar 70 is in the form of an elongate strip of rigid material, such as molded plastic, fiber board, metal, etc., which is spaced between and extends substantially parallel with the drafting rolls 12, 12a and feed roll 11. The upper central portion of bar 70 is recessed to form a rounded fiber supporting surface or nose 71 on the bar, which nose is preferably substantially straight throughout its length and is positioned about one-eighth inch to three-sixteenth inch, for example, above the level of the nips of the drafting rolls 12, 12a and the nip of the evener rolls ll, 34. Opposing ends of the fiber-supporting surface 71 of fiber control bar 70 terminate in concave arcuate fiber-constricting surfaces 72, 73 (FIG. 1, 3 and 5) which are spaced apart a substantially lesser distance than the overall width of the group of slivers l-8 as it enters the first drafting zone.

The constricting surfaces 72, 73 are preferably spaced substantially equidistantly from the longitudinal or mean center of the group of slivers I-8 so that, as the slivers pass over and in engagement with supporting surface 71, the constricting surfaces 72, 73 serve as selvage guides and convergingly guide the outer slivers 1, 2, 7, 8 inwardly toward the center of the group of slivers. in so doing, the outermost slivers 1, 8 are moved inwardly against the outer edges of the immediately adjacent slivers 2, 7 inwardly thereof. In addition, the second slivers 2, 7 inwardly from each side of the group of slivers are moved inwardly against the third slivers 3, 6 inwardly from opposite sides of the group of slivers. Thus, the fibers along the longitudinal side edges of the outer slivers are crowded together to some degree and become intermingled as they enter the nip of the drafting rolls 12, 12a.

The distance between the constricting surfaces 72, 73 may be about seven inches and the width of the group of slivers 1-8 entering the nips of evener rolls 1 1, 34 may be about 12 inches. Thus, it can be appreciated that the outer slivers 1, 2, 7, 8 converge at relatively sharp angles in their course to bar 70.

The fiber constricting surfaces 72, 73, being of arcuate form, also tend to compact or dress the fibers at the distal edges of the mass thus imparting additional tensile strength to the opposing side edges of the mass and also further inhibiting the dislodgment of fibers from the mass during the drafting thereof. The upper portion of fiber control bar 70 is provided with inwardly projecting fiber-retaining portions 74, 75 thereon whose lower surfaces merge with the arcuate fiber constricting surfaces 72, 73 and which serve to prevent at least the outermost slivers 1, 8 fromescaping from or creeping out of the confines of the passage defined between the fiber constricting surfaces 72, 73.

The fiber supporting surface or nose 71 of fiber control bar 70 controls the fibers in each strand or sliver 1-8 by concentrating a part of the tension therein at the corresponding location, thus flattening or spreading the slivers to further induce interengagement and consequent intermingling ofthe selvage fibers of adjacent slivers. Also, where the slivers are of varying staple lengths and include fibers of staple lengths substantially less than the length of the drafting zone, or where all the fibers of the slivers or any given sliver are of a relatively short staple length as compared to the length of the first drafting zone, the bar is positioned so that the apex of the supporting surface 71 thereof is spaced a slightly greater distance rearwardly of the nip of the succeeding pair of drafting rolls 12, 12a than the latter staple length so as to inhibit or substantially prevent blowup of the fibers at this point and to also minimize dislodgment of short fibers from the slivers l-8.

Typical locations of bar 70 are shown in FIG. 2. Assuming, for example, that the roll setting or distance between the nips of rolls ll, 34 and 12, 12a is about 3% inches and that some of the slivers are formed of 2k-inch staple synthetic fibers, other are formed of 3-inch staple synthetic fiber and others are formed of l i l 6-inch staple cotton fibers, or all the slivers are formed of l 1 16-inch staple cotton fibers, bar 70 would occupy the front dotted line position and the dimension'A would be about 1 3/16 inches. If the shortest fibers being processed are about 1% -inch staple fibers, the bar 70 would occupy the solid-line position and the dimension B would be about 1% inches. If all the fibers are about 3-inch staple, the bar 70 also may occupy substantially the solid-line position of FIG. 2. If some or all the fibers are about Z-inch staple, bar 70 would occupy the rear dotted line position and dimension C would be about 2 ,6 inches.

Accordingly, fiber control bar 70 is mounted so as to be readily adjusted forwardly and rearwardly relative to the adjacent drafting rolls 12, 12a and relative to the roll stands 17, and means are provided to facilitate vertical adjustment of fiber control bar 70 so that it also may serve to vary the effective length of the first drafting zone. To this end, it will be observed in FIG. 5 that opposed end portions of fiber control bar 70 are loosely penetrated by respective screws80 which are preferably provided with knurled or roughened heads, and the lower portions of the screws 80 are threaded into T-nuts 81 which fit in and are prevented from rotating in the slots 21 of the roll stands 17. A plurality of spacing members or washers 82 is positioned on each screw 80 and located between the corresponding lower surface of fiber control bar 70 and the nnnPr surface of the corresponding roll stand 17. Washers 82 may be of U-shaped configuration so that they may be readily installed on and removed from the corresponding screws to adjust the height of the fiber control bar 70 relative to the roll stands 17. Also, it is apparent that the displacement between being formed of the slivers l-8 as the mass is being drafted,

and thereby to ensure that the fibers of all the slivers willbe intermingled at what was the longitudinal side edges of the separated slivers when they entered the drafting unit, fiber control bars 70a, 70b, similar to first sliver control bar 70, are positioned in the respective second and third drafting zones of the drafting unit. In other words, sliver control bar 7011 is spaced between the two sets of, drafting rolls 12, 12a and 13, 13a, and fiber control bar 70b is spaced between the two sets of drafting rolls 13, 13a and 14, 14a. In most respects, fiber control bars 70a, 70b may be substantially the same as first fiber control bar 70 and, therefore, those parts of fiber control bars 70a, 70b corresponding to fiber control bar 70 will bear the same reference characters with the respective letters a" and b" affixed thereto to avoid repetitive description.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the second and third fiber control bars 70a, 70b differ from first fiber control bar 70 in that the fiber constricting surfaces 72a, 73a are positioned closer together than the surfaces 72, 73, and the fiber-constricting surfaces 72b, 73b are positioned closer together than the fiber constricting surfaces 72a, 73a. For example, the distance between the constricting surfaces of bars 70, 70a, 70b may be 7, 6 and 5 inches, respectively. Thus, the width of the fibrous mass is progressively reduced as the mass is drafted through the second and third drafting zones. The fiber control bars 70a, 70b are adjustable in the same manner as that described with respect to fiber control bar 70, and it can be appreciated therefore that the feed roll 11 and drafting rolls l2, 13, 14 may be spaced a substantially greater distance apart from each other than is normally the case and the effective length of each of the three drafting zones may be varied by vertical adjustment of the respective fiber control bars 70, 70a, 70b. As shown, by way of example, all three drafting zones are of about the same length (FIG. 2).

As is the case with respect to first fiber control bar 70, where the slivers include fibers of staple lengths substantially less than the length of the second and third drafting zones the respective bars 70a, 70b are also positioned so that the apexes of the supporting surfaces 71a, 71b are spaced at slightly greater space rearwardly from the nip of the succeedingdrafting rolls than the latter staple length so as to inhibit blowup of the fibers at this point and also to minimize dislodgment of short fibers from the fibrous mass. In this regard, it is to be noted most of the draft is applied to the fibrous material between the apex of each fiber control bar and the nip of the next succeeding pair of drafting rolls.

Due to the fact that the top evener rolls 34 are weighted or urged downwardly toward the bottom feed roll 11 by the weight bars 67, the flutes of the top evener rolls force the corresponding strands or slivers 1-8 downwardly between the corresponding flutes of the bottom feed roll 11. Thus, relatively thin places in the strands are forced deeper into the grooves between the adjacent flutes at the proximal surfaces of the top and bottom evener rolls 34, 11 than are relatively thick places, thereby requiring a substantially greater length of the sliver to pass between the adjacent surfaces of the 'rolls ll, 34 at given surface speeds when a thin place in a strand is passing beneath any one or more of the evener rolls than is the case when relatively thick places are passing between the proximal portions of others of the top evener rolls 34 and the bottom feed roll 13. v

.density and/or thickness as they pass from the drafting rolls 12, 12a and successively between the succeeding sets of rolls 13, 13a and 14, 14a to condenser plate 40.

Experiments have shown, however, that in the event that the same amount of pressure is applied to all the top evener rolls 34, the outer slivers or strands, which must converge inwardly at a substantially relatively sharp angle in their course to the constructing surfaces 72, 73 of the first fiber control bar 70, gradually pulled apart or ruptured during drafting, even though the draft between the evener rolls 11, 34 and the succeeding drafting rolls 12, 12a was very small (about 1.3). During the experiment, one inch staple cotton slivers weighing about 60 grains per yard were being processed and about 3% pounds of downward pressure were applied to each top evener roll 34. In order to prevent rupture of the outer slivers l have found that those slivers which must divert from their straight path of travel, such as slivers 1, 2, 7, 8, should be overfed relative to'the other slivers. To this end, in one exemplary test, I replaced the weight bars 67 for slivers l, 8 with heavier bars to apply about 5% pounds of downward pressure to the corresponding evener rolls 34. I also replaced the weight bars 67 for slivers 2, 7 with heavier bars to apply about 4 pounds of downward pressure to the corresponding evener rolls 34. In this instance, these four outermost slivers (1, 2, 7, 8) were fed into the first drafting zone at a faster rate than the remaining four slivers 3-6 therebetween. This resulted in the two outermost top evener rolls 34 being in deeper mesh with the feed roll 11 (with corresponding slivers 1, 8 passing therebetween) than the depth of meshing of the next adjacent or second evener rolls 34. Also, the second evener rolls inwardly of the two outermost rolls 34 were in deeper mesh than the four medial rolls 34. Thus, the two outermost slivers l, 8 were fed into the first drafting zone at a somewhat faster rate than the second slivers 2, 7 immediately adjacent thereto, and said second slivers 2, 7 were fed into the first drafting zone at a faster rate than the remaining four slivers 3-6 therebetween.

Surprisingly, the two outermost slivers at each side of the group of slivers are drafted about the same amount or to a greater extent than the four slivers 3-6 therebetween depending upon the amount of greater pressure applied to the corresponding evener rolls 34. The reason for this surprising result has been determined to be due to the fact that the two adjacent outermost slivers at each side of the group are crowded together as they engage the constricting surfaces 72, 73 of the fiber control bar 70, thus presenting relatively thickener sliver to the nip of the succeeding drafting rolls 12, 120. It has been learned that this results in there being such a greater amount of fibrous material crowded into the flutes at the nip of rolls 12, 12a at the outer portions of the fibrous mass, as compared to that being crowded into the flutes at the medial portion of the fibrous mass corresponding to the four medial slivers 3-6, that the outer portions of the fibrous mass are advanced through the nip of drafting rolls 12, 120 at a faster rate than the four medial slivers 3-6. As noted earlier, depending upon the amount of greater pressure applied to the corresponding evener rolls 34 for the outermost slivers, this results in about the same draft or a greater amount of draft being imparted to the two outermost slivers 1, 2, 7, 8 at each side of the group of slivers as compared to the amount of draft being imparted to the four slivers 3-6 therebetween.

On the other hand, when the fibers of the two outermost slivers 1, 2, 7,8 at each side of the group of slivers pass through the nip of drafting rolls 12, 12a, they enter the second drafting zone at a somewhat faster rate than the fibers formed of the four intermediate slivers 3-6 so that substantially lesser draft is imparted to the fibers of the two outermost slivers at each side of the group in the second drafting zone than that being imparted to the fibers of the four medial slivers. This results in these outermost slivers, upon leaving the second drafting zone, being somewhat heavier than the other slivers and thus serving to provide heavier selvages for the resulting web issuing from the delivery rolls 14, 14a. By providing such heavier selvages on the web, this reduces escapement of fibers from the web as well as reducing lint and fly problems. Additionally, such selvages facilitate maintaining intactness of the web in subsequent handling thereof as, for example, in the blending of webs wherein the webs are stacked by moving the webs into superposed relation.

The evener rolls 34also. serve asimeans for detecting the absence of any one or moreof the sliversand for actuating a stop motion in response thereto. Accordingly, it will be observed in FIG. 4 that the bearing blocks 16 for the bearings 15 of feed rollv 11 are made of insulation material or, at least, the latter bearing blocks 15 are suitably electrically insulated from roll stands 24. Also, the rearmost bearing blocks 16 are cut away at their upper portions and have respective insulation plates fixed thereon. One of the insulation plates 85 has a contact member 86', in the form ofa screw 87, penetrating the plate 85 and engaging the bearing 15 which is made of metal. A conductor 87 extends from the latter contact member 86 to an'electromagnetic relay 90 which is interposed in an electrical circuit to motor 23. Thus, upon the absence of any one of the slivers 33 permitting the corresponding metal top evener roll 34 to contact the metal feed roll 11, this will ground the circuit to relay 90, thus interrupting the flow of electrical energy to the motor 23 to stop the drawing frame.

ln the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

lclaim: 1. A method of drafting a group of side-by-side textile slivers for forming a textile 'web therefrom, said method comprising directing the slivers into a common drafting zone while sensing variations in the density of each sliver and independently feeding each sliver into the drafting zone at varying rates in accordance with sensed variations therein and while feeding at least the distal slivers in the group at a faster rate than other slivers, convergingly guiding the slivers in the drafting zone during drafting thereof to reduce the width of the group, nd then directing the drafted slivers into and through at least one successive drafting zone.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of convergingly guiding the group of slivers in the drafting zone to reduce the width thereof comprises moving the distal slivers into engagement with immediately adjacent slivers while increasing the thickness and reducing the width of the distal and immediately adjacent slivers to thereby present greater bulk of fibers along the sides of the group, and wherein the step of directing the group of drafted slivers into at least one successive drafting zone includes feeding the distal slivers of the group from the first drafting zone and into the successive drafting zone at a faster rate of feed than other slivers in the group.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the faster rate of feed of the distal sides of the group of slivers from the first drafting zone into the successive drafting zone is such as to obtain substantially the same draft on all slivers in the first drafting zone.

4. A method of drafting a group of fibrous textile strands in a common drafting zone, said method comprising the steps of directing the textile strands in side-by-side relation into and through the drafting zone and drafting the same while guidingly diverting at least the distal strands in the group through a greater path of travel in the drafting zone than the medial strands in the group and while feeding at least the distal strands into the drafting zone at a greater rate than the medial strands such that the distal strands are not destructively overdrafted'in the drafting zone. 5. A method according to claim 4, wherein at least one textile strand between each distal strand and the medial strands in the group is guidingly diverted in the drafting zone a lesser amount than the distal strands and is fed into the drafting zone at a rate of feed intermediate that of the distal and medial strands.

6. A method of drafting a group of fibrous textile strands in a plurality of successive common drafting zones, said method comprising the steps of directing the textile strands in side-by-side relation into and through the drafting zones and drafting the same while guidingly diverting at least the distal sides of the group in the successive drafting zones to successively reduce the width of the group and while feeding at least the distal strands of the group into the rearmost drafting zone at a greater rate than the medial strands in the group such that the distal strands are not destructively overdrafted in the drafting zones.

7. A method of drafting a group of fibrous textile strands in a plurality of successive common drafting zones to form a textile web therefrom, said method comprising the steps of directing the textile strands in side-by-side relation into and through the drafting zones while drafting the same and while feeding at least the distal strands in the group into the rearmost drafting zone at a faster rate than the medial strands to avoid undesirable thinning of the distal side edges of "the group which would otherwise occur.

8. In an apparatus for drafting a group of side-by-side fibrous textile strands for forming a textile web therefrom and having a plurality of spaced-apart sets of drafting instrumentalities defining successive drafting zones therebetween; the improvement which comprises the rearmost set of said drafting instrumentalities including evener motion means and comprising an elongate, fluted lower roll, a plurality of fluted upper rolls equal in number to the strands in the group, pressure applying means for independently urging each of the upper rolls into intermeshing relation with said lower roll for controlling the rate of feed of the strands therebetween, and wherein the pressure applying means for the distal upper rolls applies a greater pressure to the distal strands and feeds the distal strands into the rear drafting zone at a faster rate than the otherstrands, a movable bracket rotatably supporting such fluted upper roll and having a supporting surface beneath and rearwardly of the respective upper roll, and a pair of closely spaced sliver guides eccentrically adjustably supported on said supporting surface and provided with convex proximal surfaces for guiding the corresponding sliver therebetween into the nip of the lower roll and the corresponding upper roll.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 04 0 4 Dated September 14, 1971 Inventor(s) Joe R. Whitehurst It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 17, "silver" should be --sliver-; same column, line 19, "silver" should be slIver--. Column 4, line 32, "to" should be so-. Column 5, line 46, delete "K" after the numeral "2"; same line, "other" should be --others. Column 7, line 16, "constructing" should be -constricting--; same column, line 55, "thickener" should be thicker--. Column 10, line 20, CLAIM 8 "such" should be each-.

Signed and sealed this 28th day of March 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents RM PO-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC sows-P69 U 5 GOVERNMENT PRINYINO OFFICE I959 0-356-334 

1. A method of drafting a group of side-by-side textile slivers for forming a textile web therefrom, said method comprising directing the slivers into a common drafting zone while sensing variations in the density of each sliver and independently feeding each sliver into the drafting zone at varying rates in accordance with sensed variations therein and while feeding at least the distal slivers in the group at a faster rate than other slivers, convergingly guiding the slivers in the drafting zone during drafting thereof to reduce the width of the group, nd then directing the drafted slivers into and through at least one successive drafting zone.
 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of convergingly guiding the group of slivers in the drafting zone to reduce the width thereof comprises moving the distal slivers into engagement with immediately adjacent slivers while increasing the thickness and reducing the width of the distal and immediately adjacent slivers to thereby present greater bulk of fibers along the sides of the group, and wherein the step of directing the group of drafted slivers into at least one successive drafting zone includes feeding the distal slivers of the group from the first drafting zone and into the successive drafting zone at a faster rate of feed than other slivers in the group.
 3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the faster rate of feed of the distal sides of the group of slivers from the first drafting zone into the successive drafting zone is such as to obtain substantially the same draft on all slivers in the first drafTing zone.
 4. A method of drafting a group of fibrous textile strands in a common drafting zone, said method comprising the steps of directing the textile strands in side-by-side relation into and through the drafting zone and drafting the same while guidingly diverting at least the distal strands in the group through a greater path of travel in the drafting zone than the medial strands in the group and while feeding at least the distal strands into the drafting zone at a greater rate than the medial strands such that the distal strands are not destructively overdrafted in the drafting zone.
 5. A method according to claim 4, wherein at least one textile strand between each distal strand and the medial strands in the group is guidingly diverted in the drafting zone a lesser amount than the distal strands and is fed into the drafting zone at a rate of feed intermediate that of the distal and medial strands.
 6. A method of drafting a group of fibrous textile strands in a plurality of successive common drafting zones, said method comprising the steps of directing the textile strands in side-by-side relation into and through the drafting zones and drafting the same while guidingly diverting at least the distal sides of the group in the successive drafting zones to successively reduce the width of the group and while feeding at least the distal strands of the group into the rearmost drafting zone at a greater rate than the medial strands in the group such that the distal strands are not destructively overdrafted in the drafting zones.
 7. A method of drafting a group of fibrous textile strands in a plurality of successive common drafting zones to form a textile web therefrom, said method comprising the steps of directing the textile strands in side-by-side relation into and through the drafting zones while drafting the same and while feeding at least the distal strands in the group into the rearmost drafting zone at a faster rate than the medial strands to avoid undesirable thinning of the distal side edges of the group which would otherwise occur.
 8. In an apparatus for drafting a group of side-by-side fibrous textile strands for forming a textile web therefrom and having a plurality of spaced-apart sets of drafting instrumentalities defining successive drafting zones therebetween; the improvement which comprises the rearmost set of said drafting instrumentalities including evener motion means and comprising an elongate, fluted lower roll, a plurality of fluted upper rolls equal in number to the strands in the group, pressure applying means for independently urging each of the upper rolls into intermeshing relation with said lower roll for controlling the rate of feed of the strands therebetween, and wherein the pressure applying means for the distal upper rolls applies a greater pressure to the distal strands and feeds the distal strands into the rear drafting zone at a faster rate than the other strands, a movable bracket rotatably supporting such fluted upper roll and having a supporting surface beneath and rearwardly of the respective upper roll, and a pair of closely spaced sliver guides eccentrically adjustably supported on said supporting surface and provided with convex proximal surfaces for guiding the corresponding sliver therebetween into the nip of the lower roll and the corresponding upper roll. 